She shifted her feet, showing just a moment of discomfort before wiping it away. “We would have tried to free you. Once Helena was out of his clutches, she and I could have faced him together. Or we could have faced the darkness together. Either way, we would have stood a better chance than whatever you’re doing.”
“How did he catch her to begin with?” I asked.
Marcie wasn’t looking at me, and for a moment I thought she might not answer, then she said, “I don’t know. She and I had a meeting planned, but when I went to meet her, there was a messenger in her place. Grandfather offered me a deal, you for her. He doesn’t want to kill her, but he will if he has to.” She glared at me. “And now you’ve left her with him. You’ll open the pathways and doom us all.”
I gritted my teeth, not wanting to yell and have one of the guys come running. I thought I didn’t want to see Marcie again, but in truth, I had been wanting this conversation. If only to tell her she’d been wrong. “You act like I have any other option. I don’t do this, she dies. Then the pathways will still be healed. Your grandfather gets what he wants either way.”
“He’s your grandfather too,” Marcie huffed, crossing her arms and slumping against the wall.
I lifted my nose. “Sorry, don’t know him, won’t claim him.”
“You’re being petty.”
I arched a brow. “And you’re not? What other reason could you have for being here?”
“To talk you into attacking our grandfather. I would have preferred to face him with Helena, but you have proven yourstrength. Perhaps we can get your mother out alive. Without her, we stand no chance against the darkness. It’s the only way to prevent disaster.” Her eyes flicked to the door like one of the guys might barge in any moment. “Not that you seem to have a care for that.”
Sebastian popped into the room in a sudden burst of darkness, making us both jump. “He will kill Helena before we could even try.” He lifted one hand, examining his nail beds. “The remaining pathways will be healed, and we will deal with the results. You may either help, or get out of our way.”
I slumped further into the bed. “I don’t want her help.”
Marcie glared back and forth between us. “Just know, many will not understand your reasoning. Those who fear the darkness, like Elizabeta, will no longer be your allies.”
“Not much I can do about that,” I muttered.
With a final glare at each of us, Marcie poofed away in a flash of stars.
Sebastian turned toward me, his expression bored like he hadn’t just cut into the middle of an argument. “Crispin has been in touch with Elena. King Francis now knows the first pathway has been healed. We’ll go to the elven realm next.”
“Just like that? I randomly absorb a guardian and a bunch of darkness, heal a pathway, and we move right on to the next?”
A hint of fire flashed in his eyes. “I’m sorry. Did you have other plans?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I guess not.”
A knock preceded the door swinging open, admitting Gabriel carrying a heavy silver tray. I smelled pancakes and coffee, and smiled gratefully. I certainly wouldn’t be telling him that the goblin realm pancakes were better.
Somesecrets were better left buried.
I wore jeans,another tank top—blue this time—my boots, and my leather jacket to meet Crispin back in Emerald Heights. It made me nervous all of us splitting up so much, but it should only be my mom in danger now. Unless Marcie decided to stab someone.
I wouldn’t put it past her. She did seem to enjoy backstabbing.
We rode with King Francis, Elena, Silvana, and a bevy of elves toward the dormant end of the elven pathway, birds chirping happily around us. The birds wouldn’t be so cheery at the next waypoint, where they were probably made of shadows like the other creatures we’d narrowly escaped there.
It would be another good test at facing the darkness though. Silvana was along for that reason, and I spotted Rian amongst the crowd of riders. Feeling my gaze, he actually gave me an approving nod. I had been too busy to ask Dawn if they had gone on any more dates. He wasn’t one of our guards though, just a noble along for the viewing.
Unwilling to lose his only chance at a trip home so easily, King Francis insisted on sending a bevy of guards to protect us from the darkness. Silvana had been a volunteer, though I thought she might be crazy for being willing to return to where she’d been trapped for way too long.
“I’m not sure I can bring so many with us,” I muttered to Crispin, who rode behind me on the large buck. Ringo sat on Crispin’s shoulder, quiet on the ride as so many elves stared at him. Crispin had dressed down for once in tan work pants creased sharply down the front, and a sturdy dark green buttonup rolled up to his elbows. Maybe after our time in the goblin realm, he felt his clothing should be more suited to adventure.
Before he could respond to my worries, Elena veered her mount our way. She had Gabriel on her buck with her, looking uncomfortable, which Elena didn’t seem to notice as she complained, “I’m so mad I can’t go with you. I want to see another realm!”
Mistral, as prince maybe not of the goblin realm but still prince of the Bogs, got his own buck, which he rode up on our other side. “You are welcome to visit the goblin realm, once all of this is over.”
Elena’s eyes went as round as saucers. “Really?”
“I’m sure my uncle would be delighted to have you,” Mistral said simply.
